Love is Like a Rose
by Crossover Specialist
Summary: Collection of drabbles about romantic Mandie/Joe. Ratings vary (K through M) depending on the story.


**Disclaimer: I do not own the MANDIE books, because, if I did, Mandie and Joe would have been together from the start.**

 _"_ _Hey, slow down, Mandie," Joe said as he caught her arm at the corner of the long table holding the cake and punch bowl. "Where're you going in such an all-fired hurry?" "Ain't goin' nowhere," she teased him. "Ain't goin' nowhere? I think you'd better go somewhere – back to school if that's the way you're going to talk," Joe laughed. "Oh, yes, I'm going back to school, all the way through, with years and years of education," Mandie continued to joke with him. "But not_ _ **too**_ _many years," Joe said, as he moved closer. "I don't want you to know more than I do." "Know more than you do?" she asked, twirling her long, silk skirts. "That's right. I don't want my wife to be smarter than I am," he said, reaching to grasp her hand. "_ _ **Wife?**_ _" Mandie shot back. "You heard right. I said my wife. I'm asking you to become my wife – that is, when we get all educated and grown up, and all that, of course," he said, looking seriously into her blue eyes. "Oh, Joe Woodard, you're not old enough to propose," she teased. "I'm old enough to know what I want," he said. "Well, what is your answer? Will you be my wife – someday?" Mandie became solemn._

 **MANDIE. JOE. MANDIE. JOE. MANDIE. JOE. MANDIE. JOE. MANDIE. JOE. MANDIE. JOE. MANDIE. JOE. MANDIE. JOE.**

Mandie looked up at Joe, realizing that he was completely serious. Her initial reaction was to run screaming, but she remained calm. She didn't want to make a scene – especially not today. She looked Joe in the eyes, not believing she was actually considering this. But, at the same time, it didn't surprise her. She knew she'd always see Joe as more than her best friend, even if she'd never admit it. "Come with me, Joe; I don't want to draw any attention to us." She whispered, walking towards the staircase. They walked up and she knew this wasn't a good idea, being alone with him, now that her emotions were so complicated. She was too focused on the fact that Joe had just proposed to her to make a rational decision that didn't involve Joe. He was all that clouded her mind.

She let him hold the door for her as she walked with him into the room next to hers – the guest room. Or, as Joe and her had named it, between the two of them, "Joe's Room." Mandie took a seat on the bed and waited as Joe shut and locked the door, before coming to sit next to her. Ever since Joe voiced his feelings to her, all she wanted to do was lay her head against his lean body. She wanted to run her fingers through his unruly brown hair and gaze deep into his shining brown eyes. But, Mandie quickly chided herself for thinking of Joe, her best friend Joe, in such a way.

Her heart fluttered when he reached over to her, grasping her hands in his. "Joe…" she managed to get out, before her breathing hitched as he took his thumbs and rubbing her hands with them. "Amanda Shaw, I love you. So much more than you know. I've loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. I know what I want. I want you, Mandie. As my wife, by my side forever." Joe said, confessing to her all he knew he should have waited until later to tell her, but it had just slipped it. He knew if he said too much, he'd scare her off, maybe even lose a perfectly amazing friendship, all because of his stupidity. Mandie didn't speak for several seconds, she just stared at Joe. He sighed, feeling he wasn't going to get the response he'd hoped for, but who could blame her? She's only twelve, he kept reminding himself. It's a lot for her to take in. And, on top of that, he'd just confessed the true feelings he'd kept bottled for years, at the wedding of her uncle and long-lost mother, nonetheless. He figured she needed a moment alone, so he removed her hands from his and started to get up. But her next actions surprised him, even more.

Mandie pulled his hands back and he easily went back to massaging her hands with his thumbs. He didn't think much of the fact that Mandie had pulled him back down, closer to her, so there were barely inches between them. She tilted her head towards him and leaned in, gently pressing her lips to his. Joe was in shock, he had expected an "I'm not sure" kind of response, he didn't expect to be her first kiss, or her, his. Mandie pulled away from the kiss, not sure if she had done the right thing. She scanned his face with her eyes, looking for any signs that she'd done the wrong thing.

Joe saw the fear on her face – fear that she'd done something horribly wrong. He placed his hands on her face, cupping her chin as he locked eyes with her. He felt her shiver under his touch, and it made him feel ecstatic that he could do that to her. She was normally such a cool, calm, and collected person. Except when she's with him. With Joe, she feels no need to hide anything – nothing; with him, she feels safe. "Mandie, I don't know what to say." "Then, don't say anything," Mandie smartly suggested, "Let me do the talking." Joe looked at her; a soft smile graced his face as he listened to her talk. "Joe, I think I always knew, no matter how much I tried to deny it, that we couldn't just be friends forever. You've found a special place in my heart. I know I see you as more than a friend. Joe, I love you…"

Mandie didn't get to finish the rest of her sentence, as Joe had leaned into her and swiftly captured her lips in a slow kiss. Mandie wasn't sure she knew what to do, but somehow she managed. She couldn't understand the desire that was taking over her body. All she wanted to do was be with him. Suddenly, as if a switch was flipped, close wasn't close enough for her. Keeping their lip-lock, she moved over to Joe and straddled him, feeling his tongue enter her mouth. A moan escaped her mouth as his tongue gently swirled against hers, sending tingles down her spine. Her hands made their way up to his hair and wound themselves in it, pulling and twirling it around. His hands, which had previously been wound in her hair, moved down to her forearms, then back up into her hair again. Mandie couldn't understand what was happening to her. She felt herself desperate for more contact. Sure, Uncle Ned had warned her, this would happen eventually, but thought she would be more like fourteen or sixteen, than twelve. To reach her goal, she moved her hands down to unbutton his shirt, while his lips were placing kisses down her neck. Joe allowed a low groan to escape this throat as Mandie, his Mandie, ran her hands all over his chest, followed by a few light kisses.

Joe pulled away for a second and looked Mandie in the eyes. "Yes." She said. Joe ran over that one word in his head, his heart racing. "Yes, I'll be your wife, Joe Woodard." His lips met hers again, but this time, there was passion, too. He moved down and urgently sucked on her neck, leaving a small bruise, which he was pleased with. He continued to make it bigger, marking her. As she felt the pain, but also the pleasure, Mandie took his hands and placed them over her breasts, albeit small, but she was still growing, Joe thought. They were interrupted by a loud meow from outside the door. They looked at each other and quickly moved away, feeling a little ashamed they let it go this far. Joe stood up and buttoned his shirt, fixing his hair, while Mandie straightened her skirts and her hair, pulling a shawl around her to cover the mark on her neck. They both fixed their flushed faces and Joe said, "We'll have to tell them at some point." "That can wait, come on, and let's go mingle."


End file.
